Sharing what I've learned and photographed can't be done in a few photos. This photo blog is a little longer than I like them to be so I hope you find the Northern Harrier as fascinating reading this blog, as I did documenting them through my lens.
As I begin writing this blog, I'm wondering how many of you ever saw a Northern Harrier. They are not seen as often as other hawks, such as a Red-tailed, Broad-winged, or Cooper's. I'd like to give you a brief description right now with many more interesting facts scattered throughout this photo blog.
The Northern Harrier, also known as Hen Harrier or Marsh Hawk in other parts of the world, is a slender, medium-sized hawk with long, broad wings and a long, rounded tail. They have a flat, owl-like face and a small, sharply hooked bill. They are the most owl-like of hawks but they are not related to owls. In addition to vision, they rely on hearing to capture prey so their stiff facial feathers are important because they help to direct sound to the ears. Incidentally, there are 13 species of harriers worldwide but the Northern Harrier is the only harrier in North America.
Males (below left) are gray on top and whitish below with a dark trailing edge to the wing, and a black-banded tail. Adult females (below right) are brown and have whitish undersides with brown streaks. The harrier's overall body length is 18.1 – 19.7 inches with a wingspan of 40.2 – 46.5 inches.
 Northern HarrierMale
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 Northern HarrierFemale
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Northern Harriers breed in wide-open habitats where they build the nest on the ground or on a mound of dirt or vegetation. Nests are made of sticks and are lined inside with grass and leaves. Large tracts of land, like reclaimed strip-mines, are some of the best grassland birding habitats in the state. Grassland birds are abundant breeders in large grasslands and various species of birds can be located there during all seasons. During the breeding season Northern Harriers eat small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds making these wide open places an attractive habitat to raise a family.
The photo below gives you an idea of how challenging it can be to photograph raptors in the large grassland habitat. Distance can be a problem.
Clarion County, PennsylvaniaReclaimed strip-mine grasslands
I began photographing these Northern Harriers in late June. Early on, I made a lot of photos of the male, referred to as "Gray Ghost". In addition to his gray coloring with white underside, his black wing tips are a good way to identify the flying Gray Ghost.
Northern Harriers fly low over the ground when hunting, circling over fields and marshes as they watch and listen for small animals.
They eat on the ground, and they perch on low posts or trees.
 Northern HarrierMale
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 Northern HarrierMale
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Only the female Northern Harrier incubates eggs. During that time and until the chicks are about two weeks old, the male does all the hunting. He provides nearly all of the food for her and the chicks. Instead of bringing the food directly to the nest, the male flies overhead, sometimes announcing his presence, and the female flies up to meet him. In mid-air, they do a food transfer. As the male flies high in the sky, the female flies underneath him and catches the dropped food. It was captivating to watch and I was happy to photograph a couple food transfers.
First, the male flies overhead with his catch.
In the left photo, you can see the male carrying a rodent and the female approaching from the bottom with outstretched legs. The center photo shows the rodent being dropped to the female. The right photo shows the talented catch in mid-air.
 Northern HarrierMale/Female food transferPhoto 1 |
 Northern HarrierMale/Female food transferPhoto 2 |
 Northern HarrierMale/Female food transferPhoto 3 |
Most of the time, after catching the food, she briefly landed somewhere to eat some herself. Also, she made several landings in various spots as if she is trying to fool predators by not immediately giving away the location of her nest. Another observation of mine was when the female brought food to the nest, it was usually clean of fur or feathers.
It is obvious that she treasures the food her mate caught for her. Look at the way she holds it close to her body as if to hide it.
Eventually, she dropped into the nest.
Nearly every time she took food to her chicks, she flew off to a nearby swamp and filled her beak with soft grasses...
Northern HarrierFemale bringing nesting material to nest
and brought it back to the nest.
Northern HarrierFemale bringing nesting material to nest
There were some really long periods of time that nothing was happening. However, in the final hour before sunset, you could count on a few food deliveries before it was time to sleep. It was on these special occasions that the male would actually bring food all the way to the nest site.
And the female delivered food too.
When a person spends so much time watching for birds in the sky, one really needs to take a moment to enjoy the beauty of the land. The hilltop grasslands provided the most spectacular sunsets.
Clarion County, PennsylvaniaReclaimed strip-mine grasslands
I made several trips to Clarion County with mixed results. My hope was to catch something unique. Occasionally, Turkey Vultures would circle above and the harriers didn't like that. One day I saw the female perched in a tree about 500 yards away from the nest when a Turkey Vulture got close to the nest. The female harrier charged the vulture, wings beating furiously, and forced the vulture in another direction.
Below is a photo of the Gray Ghost giving chase to a Turkey Vulture.
Northern HarrierMale chasing Turkey Vulture
Sometimes, after a food drop, the male would fly along the road to a sign post that I think it's safe to say is his favorite. He spent a lot of time there. Here is a short clip of the male sitting on that post. Click the icon in the center to play the video.
Are you wondering what may be the real reason they call the male harrier "Gray Ghost"? Besides the obvious gray coloring that I mentioned earlier, there is another story that describes the male harrier. There was a Confederate army cavalry battalion commander named John Singleton Mosby who fought in the American Civil War. His command, the 43rd Battalion, 1st Virginia, known as Mosby's Rangers or Mosby's Raiders, was a military unit noted for its lightning quick raids and its ability to elude Union Army pursuers and disappear, blending in with local farmers and townsmen. John became known as "The Gray Ghost". I can make that connection to the male Northern Harrier. Although my eyes were focused on the skies watching for one of these big birds to come toward the nest area, sometimes the male harrier would swiftly appear out of nowhere.
Speaking of our Gray Ghost, did you know that harriers are the only hawk-like birds to practice polygyny? They are known to take care of four or five mates at one time although most have one or two. So when I didn't see the male for a couple hours, I assumed he was taking care of other mates. The wait would get rather long at times and when you least expect it, he came flying by with food like this unfortunate American Goldfinch.
Sometimes the female was seen gliding around as if she expected him.
As a photographer, I needed to be alert when food came because their speed of food transfer was incredible. Harriers can reach speeds up to 38 mph when chasing prey. When the male came with food, I think the female came close to that mark on her approach. Once she reached the male, he dropped the rodent where she could catch it and she would eventually take it to the nest.
 Northern HarrierMale/Female mid-air food transferPhoto 1 |
 Northern HarrierMale/Female mid-air food transferPhoto 2 |
 Northern HarrierMale/Female mid-air food transferPhoto 3 |
As I said before, she flew around a lot with the prey before returning to the nest.
And once again, she left the nest for a few minutes only to return with nesting material.
The hot, muggy day caused fog to form in the valley which was glowing under the setting sun.
Clarion County, PennsylvaniaReclaimed strip-mine grasslands
When I began photographing these birds in June I preferred going in the morning. The early hours meant good light and several food transfers. As summer and its high heat arrived, the morning light became harsh much earlier in the day, casting shadows on the underside of the birds. As a response, I began to visit in the evening more often. The chicks were getting bigger and were beginning to wander on foot away from the nest. I wanted to be ready to capture their first flight and I believed the evening light enhanced that opportunity.
We had a few storms go through one evening when my wife Elena and I were making the hour long drive into Clarion County. When we arrived, we were greeted by a beautiful rainbow.
Clarion County, PennsylvaniaReclaimed strip-mine grasslands
It was awesome that we could see both ends so I drove to the top of the hill to get another perspective.
Clarion County, PennsylvaniaReclaimed strip-mine grasslands
The rain was gone but a lot of cloud cover and distant thunder remained. This was the day when we got to see the juvenile harriers for the first time. This is the third and last juvenile remaining in the nest. The other two have been making their way up the hill either walking or jumping short flights with sounds of mom's coaxing in the background. It was time to expand their territory. Notice the white downy feathers that still remained on its head.
The Northern Harrier lays 4 - 6 eggs but rarely more. As I mentioned earlier, the female solely incubates the eggs. That process lasts 30 - 32 days. Once the chicks hatch, the female remains with the young most of the time. Once again, the male does the hunting for both the female and the chicks. After the chicks are about 2 weeks old, the female does some of the hunting for them. Since they nest on the ground, they can easily stray from the nest. After about a week the chicks are able to walk and they may move short distances away from nest but return to the nest to be fed. They are able to fly at about 30 - 35 days.
This next photograph shows mom bringing food to the nest where her young one is waiting, wings spread, in the grass.
Northern HarrierFemale & Juvenile
When the female leaves the nest she takes off with such a burst of speed that I missed the photo most of the time. On this occasion, I was ready. These two photos are a short series of her leaving the nest after dropping off the food pictured above.
 Northern HarrierFemale
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 Northern HarrierFemale
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The sunlight was fading fast when I noticed the female perched on a low shrub at the top of the hill. The puffy, cumulus clouds provided a nice backdrop.
Suddenly, there was movement at the nest. The last nestling began to climb up the taller, stiffer weeds surrounding the nest. Now I got a really good look at it. There is a way to distinguish if a juvenile is male or female. Juvenile males have pale greenish-yellow eyes, while juvenile females have dark chocolate brown eyes. By the time they reach adulthood, the eye color of both sexes change to lemon yellow. I looked closely at all of my juvenile photos and the eyes appear dark brown. Without sunlight shining directly on the eye, even a light colored eye can appear dark so I'm not going to try to identify the gender of these juveniles.
 Northern HarrierJuvenile
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 Northern HarrierJuvenile
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The third sibling was watching as its siblings were slowly putting distance between them and the nest. As the evening progressed, we saw what may be this juvenile's first flight. It was getting dark so the wings are a blur but I captured the short flight.
After that evening, I didn't know what to expect. Would they be gone or will they return to the nest? Is it over? Well, not quite! You've seen the food transfers between the male and female and now it was time to watch the parents teach the juveniles to hunt. This was a challenge to photograph because they aren't restricted to the nesting area anymore; they have the entire hillside and more.
I waited about eight days before returning to allow time for the juveniles to grow and begin to fly more. They grew fast. On my next visit I was able to capture one of the older juveniles fly to a bush. Still having balance issues on the small twigs, it sat for about five minutes with one wing suspended on a branch as seen in the photo on the right.
 Northern HarrierJuvenile
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 Northern HarrierJuvenile
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Notice the color of the juvenile. They look a lot like the female but have a chestnut colored underside instead of white streaks.
Just look at that face. Isn't it a beautiful bird?
Feedings seem to be less frequent now. I assume it's because they can eat more so they don't need fed as often. The juveniles were spread out over the hillside now so, when mom or dad brought food to their side of the hill, I tried to be ready. Here is a photo of dad flying over the juveniles to entice them to come after the food. One soared upward but missed the dropping food.
 Northern HarrierMale and Juveniles during food drop trainingPhoto 1 |
 Northern HarrierMale and Juveniles during food drop trainingPhoto 2 |
The food doesn't go to waste. If it drops to the ground the male watches it carefully and the juvenile soars downward to retrieve it.
The opportunity to photograph an adult this close comes so infrequently, I have to share it.
Now I was getting excited about the possibilities of photographing these hawks training their young to hunt. So I kept going back! Here is a photo of the male carrying food around the hillside trying to entice the juveniles to come after it.
The following action happened about 300 yards away from me so I wasn't able to crop the images very close.
The male, in the top left of the photo, finally enticed two of this three youngsters to go after the food. If performed enough, the young ones realize that the strongest, fastest, and most strong willed will get the food. The training sessions eventually become a fighting match with the winner getting the drop.
 Northern HarrierMale and Juveniles
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 Northern HarrierMale and Juveniles
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The male watches as his young fight for the meal.
Northern HarrierMale and Juveniles
Within seconds, there is a clear winner and it gets the food drop. It tried to catch the rodent but its timing was off. It immediately went to the ground with the food. By the way, within seconds the other two juveniles were on top of the food too.
Northern HarrierMale and Juvenile
That was a thrilling event to watch and I'm sad to say it was the last food drop I could photograph. Future food drops that I watched happened much too far away to photograph. Since it was apparent they had left the nest and were not returning, I decided to walk out and see what a harrier nest looks like. The platform is about 3 - 4 feet round. Notice in the photo below there was one unviable egg left in the nest.
Northern HarrierNest with one unviable egg
A few days went by and I decided to go back one more time. See how this can become addicting? I didn't see any food drops this day and I didn't see the Gray Ghost at all. However, I did see the juveniles flying around the field and mom watching over them. The next photo is one of the three juveniles flying close to the ground.
Two's company right? These two juveniles share the same shrub.
 Northern HarrierJuveniles
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 Northern HarrierJuveniles
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The juveniles were very cooperative on this day. Here is another nice close-up of a juvenile perched on a small shrub.
It perched for quite a while so I made a short video. There isn't good sound on this video because I was under a blind and so was the microphone. Click the icon in the center to play the video.
Of all the countless hours I spent watching these birds I did not see the female perch close enough for a photograph. If she wasn't perched far away, she was on the move keeping her babies safe and fed. Finally, she landed on a small shrub about 40 yards away and stayed for a couple minutes.
So, my entire experience has come to a close. This was a fascinating experience to watch this process from nearly the beginning to the successful fledging of three healthy Northern Harriers. I'm going to end this blog with a juvenile flying at you.
If you are interested to see these, and additional photos of the Northern Harriers, you can view my Northern Harrier gallery.
All of the bird photographs in this photo blog were made using a Canon 1DX MK II body and a Canon 600mm f/4 II lens. I also used a Canon 1.4 extender III most of the time.
Thanks for looking,
Dan
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And then fall rolls in… the air gets a bite to it, the mountains start ringing with bugles, and every hollow feels alive.
From the heat of mid-summer to fired-up bulls tearing up the rut, I spent some time wandering around elk country with a camera in hand, trying to keep up with whatever the wild decided to show me.
Please enjoy "Pennsylvania Elk: A Photographic and Cinematic Journey to the Rut".
Thank you for looking,
Dan
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This photo was shot from the cover of my SUV. I was driving home from Venango County after an unsuccessful Bobcat hunt and I saw two bucks grazing in a field. I quickly pulled over and even though it was almost too dark to make a photo, I did it anyway.
This is the second buck of the two mentioned above.
It was September 3rd when I saw my first velvet-free buck of the season. He was backlit by the setting sun in a field of Goldenrod presenting a difficult exposure but I managed to bring out the details while preventing a silhouette.
After I finish photographing the Elk rut I focus my attention to White-tailed Deer. I usually begin to see activity in late October. These two young bucks weren't pushing very hard. It was just a little sparring to kick off the rutting season.
It's a good thing the grasses aren't too thick.
I saw this doe while driving in one of my favorite spots. I stopped the vehicle to watch her for awhile. When I find a lone doe during the rut, it's likely a buck is hidden somewhere nearby.
I only waited a few minutes before I saw movement on a downslope of a bank. I saw it was a nice buck but the woods was very thick and I had to wait until he presented himself. This view was brief.
Bucks lick branches to deposit their scent to let other bucks, and doe, aware of their presence.
Here we go again! The head position I mentioned at the beginning of this blog. This is known to most people as a "Lip Curl". The real name is "Flehman Response". I've talked about this in previous blog posts so I'm going to be brief here. Here is a concise description I found on the internet. "What is happening is the deer is transferring air containing pheromones and other scents to the vomeronasal organ (VNO), an olfactory-chemosensory organ located between the roof of the mouth and the palate, animals can gather chemical "messages"."
From a distance, sometimes a buck's rack doesn't look as big as it really is but then I see them up close through my camera lens. Then I'm pretty happy to see this.
I found this smaller, 8-point buck prancing through the woods.
I mentioned earlier that if I see a lone doe, I'll stop to watch her because a buck might be nearby. A total of five doe entered a field I was set up in and they were wandering through grazing on vegetation. They were grazing from one end of the field to the other when...
this guy came out of the woods. This is another rutting behavior known to many as "bird dogging". The buck will be running with its nose straight to the ground following a doe. Notice his tongue? He is licking his nose to help gather scents over his oflactory sensors.
Sometimes I'm set up to watch open areas but the deer go where they want.
This was one of the best days I had during the 2022 rut. It was a cold morning, deep into the rut, when I came upon two nice bucks (8-point and 10-point) trailing a couple doe. None of them were moving much. The does fed on leaves and ground vegetation while the bucks stood like statues guarding their potential mate.
The deer and I were located on the shady side of a large hill when the 10-point stepped into the early morning sun wrapping around the hillside. The vapors created by his heavy breathing shot out of his nostrils with each breath. The low, morning sunshine lit it up allowing me to create this amazing image. I also shot video that you will be able to watch later in the blog.
Here is another view of the previous buck while he stood in the shadow of the hillside.
Although not as dramatic, you can see the vapors in this image as well.
Eventually, the two bucks paths converged in the pines. I was waiting, actually hoping, for a dominance fight. Instead, the 8-point began biting at the neck of the 10-point. The larger of the two seemed annoyed.
I did not know what was going to happen and since fight photos seldom show the strength of the animals, I decided to switch to video. This video contains the vapors and the bucks in the pines encounter.
These two images were made from frames in the video. Although they weren't pushing hard, you can see how dangerous the antlers are.
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After the heated exchange, the two bucks split up and focused on the doe again.
He's munching on some of the last green vegetation on the forest floor.
Here is one last photo before all the deer walked up the hill and out of sight.
Within a week of the last series of photos we had a day of snow squalls. After seeing a couple inches accumulate I decided to head out after work. Because I didn't have a lot of time before darkness fell, Elena and I stayed fairly local and "hunted" from the vehicle. I happened to see two doe laying down during a snow squall. This one was the easiest to see.
It's been a few years since I found a buck this wide.
Of course, I probably wouldn't have these photos of him if he weren't on the scent of a doe. While walking one way...
he suddenly stopped and shifted his attention in the other direction.
Here is a closeup of another buck with snow accumulating on his body and antlers.
Here is a video I put together of the "snow day" deer.
Another White-tailed Deer rut season is in the books. I hope you enjoyed the photos, videos, and my commentary about each photo.
Thanks for looking,
Dan
]]>Despite the bitter cold and relentless winds, I spent several days in the field capturing photos and video of this unexpected guest.
It wasn’t just the thrush that made each outing memorable, but the many other species feeding right alongside him.
I’ve put together a 4½-minute video to share those special moments with you.
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At 5 o’clock in the morning my cell phone began playing its soft alarm music indicating it was time for Elena and I to see one of America’s rarest birds, the Kirtland’s Warbler.
I opened the drapes in the Grayling Michigan Days Inn to find a cloudless northern Michigan sky. Normally, I would be thrilled for cloudless skies but today I was hoping for a cloud base to filter the sunshine on my quest to photograph the endangered Kirtland’s Warbler.
Hartwick PinesGrayling, MI
After a quick continental breakfast at the hotel, we found our way to Hartwick Pines State Park where, in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Michigan Audubon conducts Kirtland's Warbler guided tours each June to view the warbler in its breeding habitat.
From the Hartwick Pines Visitors Center, tour participants caravanned about a half hour to a Jack Pine plantation that the warblers selected to breed this year. The path through the plantation is a two way path that looks like an unnamed country road.
Jack Pine PlantationNear Grayling, MI
At the time of this writing the Kirtland’s Warbler is listed on the State and Federal Endangered Species lists. Because the Kirtland’s Warbler nests on the ground, we were warned to stay on the path. Stepping on a nest results in a $10,000 fine. Now that would be an expensive photograph!
Other instructions included no use of bird calls or pishing. Pishing is a small, repetitive noise used in the field to attract small birds.
Within minutes of entering the path, we heard a Kirtland’s Warbler singing. I was carrying my Canon 1DX MK II full frame camera body, Canon 600mm MK II, and Canon 1.4 X Extender III on a RRS monopod. Within 30 minutes, as a bird flit between trees and the ground alongside of the path, I realized distance shots would be unnecessary and I didn't need the 1.4 X Extender.
Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI
We spent the morning with tour guide, Craig Kasmer, the Park Interpreter at Hartwick Pines State Park. Craig is the man on the left way in the back in the next photo. He began the program at 7 AM with a brief lecture and video explaining pretty much everything I’m talking about in this blog. About 7:30 we departed Hartwick Pines State Park and arrived at the Jack Pine plantation about 8:00. People were free to leave whenever they wanted so after about an hour, some of the 17 tour members left.
Jack Pine PlantationNear Grayling, MI
Kirtland’s Warbler sing for a couple reasons. One is to find a mate and another is to protect their territory. Interestingly, as we left a singing male, we had to walk about 100 yards before encountering another. I don't know this to be fact but it seemed like their own comfortable breeding territory may have spanned about 100 yards.
Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI
I was happy to hear nestlings have hatched so both parents would be out searching for food and males would be protecting their family. We found this female going to her nest with food for the nestlings.
Kirtland's WarblerFemale - Grayling, MI
Everyone kept their distance and watched the birds search for food and once in a while they would stop to preen.
 Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI
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 Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI
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Each spring, the .5 ounce Kirtland's Warbler migrates from the Bahamas to their northern breeding ground. You can only find nesting pairs in a few counties in the Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula and, in recent years, they have also been recorded in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Wisconsin, and Ontario. In June the nestlings hatch and the rest of the summer is spent raising the fledglings and eating to prepare for their winter migration. Around the beginning of September, the Kirtland’s Warbler flies back to the Bahamas until instincts tell them to come back north to do it all over again.
Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI
In 1987, the Kirtland’s Warbler's world population was as low as 350 birds. Through the work of scientists and land managers, that population has increased to over 4000 birds.
There are two main reasons for their initial decline. First, the Kirtland’s Warbler is very picky about their breeding habitat and only breed in young, thick, Jack Pine forests averaging a height of 5 – 15 feet. Second, they require forests covering 30-40 acres to raise their young. A mature Jack Pine can reach 55-65 feet in height, so the Kirtland’s Warbler looks for young forests.
Here is a look at the Jack Pine plantation we were in. It's difficult to tell but there were acres upon acres of Jack Pine that I estimate were no taller than 10 feet.
Jack Pine PlantationNear Grayling, MI
So, how does Mother Nature maintain Jack Pine forests suitable for a Kirtland’s Warbler? The cones on mature trees are serotinous. That means they only open based on a trigger of some sort. For Jack Pine, the trigger is when they are exposed to intense heat, greater than or equal to 122 degrees F. Before modern firefighting technology, fires would destroy Jack Pine forests every 30 – 50 years. As a fire sweeps through leaving charred ground and tree skeletons, the waxy Jack Pine cones open and distribute the seeds in a tight circle around the charred tree. New trees then grow providing a new densely populated Jack Pine forest. The warbler first appears in an area about six years after a fire. After about 15 years, when the trees become too tall, the warbler leaves the area.
Nowadays, fires that occur are usually under control before doing a lot of destruction. Plus, people are cutting into these forests to build homes and businesses. The irregular shape of the Jack Pine does not make a pretty landscape tree so with little regard to the essential Kirtland’s Warbler's habitat, the trees are removed.
Through the work of the US Forest Service and Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Kirtland’s Warbler habitat is being created by harvesting old and tall Jack Pine forests and planting new ones to replicate how it would naturally occur.
Jack Pine PlantationNear Grayling, MI
Here is a male perched near the top of a Jack Pine.
Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI
I mentioned in the beginning of this blog that I was wishing for a soft cloud cover to filter the sun but didn't get that. Harsh sun, even in the early hours, present many issues with exposure on light feathers such as yellow and white. Hopefully, I'll see slightly overcast skies on my return trip next June. In the meantime, I'll accept bright sun and be happy that I got to photograph this rare bird.
Here is a male Kirtland's Warbler defending his territory and young family while carrying a worm in his mouth.
Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI
Minutes later, after moving closer to the nest, he is still carrying the same worm he had in the previous photo.
Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI
They are a bird that like dense branches. In the midst of flitting around, they sometimes stop briefly on a good perch for a photograph.
Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI
We watched this warbler crawl all over several trees looking for insects before finally climbing up this branch out of the center of the tree.
Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI
Finally, he stopped for a second.
Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI
Food is what's important so he continued to search.
Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI
In my observation, they have a habit of swiveling their body 90 degrees like an oscillating sprinkler while singing their song. It's as if they are broadcasting their song over their territory.
Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI
About 11:00 the sun was getting high, it was getting hot, and the birds were singing a little less. Craig, Elena and I were the last people remaining from the group and we called it a day.
With the Kirtland’s Warbler numbers reaching 4,000 today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requested to delist the warbler from the federal list of threatened and endangered species. A final decision is expected by the end of 2018.
The information in this photo blog was created using my personal observations, lecture, video, and questions during the tour, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website, and a Kirtland's Warbler Festival publication available at the Hartwick Pines Visitor's Center.
I highly recommend the Kirtland’s Warbler tours. For somebody coming into the area from far away it was nice to have someone take you directly to a nesting site. Having access to Craig Kasmer for three plus hours, was invaluable. Keep in mind there will be good days and bad days in regards to bird sightings. It seems like you will always hear them but they need to be near the path to see them. I hope it’s a good day when you go.
Thanks for reading,
Dan
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Rather than making one long video, I’ve decided to break it up into six separate short stories—one for each day.
These videos are something I create primarily for myself, but I’m happy to share them with others who have a similar interest.
Only the true wildlife lovers will make it through all 6 days. If you don’t, well… you really don’t know what you’re missing.
Ready for day 1? The first day of a trip is always about discovery. I like to explore as much as possible, finding a wide variety of subjects without lingering too long. There’s plenty of time to dive deeper during the rest of the week.
Sit back and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Eastern Tennessee, along with a glimpse into the lives of its incredible wildlife.
Welcome to day 2 of my 6-day series from a springtime adventure in Cades Cove, nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains. In this 5-minute glimpse, you'll find a mix of furry and feathered encounters, plus scenes from a peaceful ride along Rich Mountain Road, a lesser-traveled mountain road with scenic views overlooking Cades Cove. During that ride, I had a special moment—spotting a Swainson's Warbler for the first time. A true lifer!
The cicadas emerged on day 3 in Cades Cove, much to the delight of the bears. This short video follows a couple of bears as they search for cicadas and concludes with a peaceful scene of Eastern Meadowlarks in the grasslands.
Day 4 in Cades Cove was all about the bears.
The morning started with a quick encounter: a sow and her three cubs. After that, I revisited the denned sow with two cubs—the same family I introduced a couple of videos ago. I wanted to give you another glimpse into what their day looks like.
To end the day, I spent time with a sow and her lone cub.
When there's only one, mom has to fill every role—parent, protector, and playmate. This video captures some truly tender and intimate moments between the two.
The day 5 video runs about 9½ minutes and focuses almost entirely on one Black Bear family. It offers a heartfelt look at the challenges mother bears face while raising their cubs.
Did you know that male black bears often try to kill cubs? You’ll find out why in this video. Don’t worry—there’s nothing graphic or disturbing shown. Instead, you’ll follow a powerful story of a sow and her three cubs as they navigate a single day in their fight for survival.
I'll be wrapping up the 6-day Cades Cove series with this final video.
Have you ever seen the full courtship ritual between a gobbler and a hen turkey? It’s surprisingly elaborate—and lengthy. From strutting displays to treading and eventually copulation, the whole process took about 45 minutes, which I’ve condensed into a 5-minute highlight. Their behavior is truly fascinating to watch.
Later that day, I spent some time with a sow and her lone cub—the same pair I introduced in an earlier video. Observing wildlife, even during quiet moments like grooming, always captivates me. There's so much to learn just by watching.
Thank you for your interest and support.
]]>I've photographed Pileated Woodpeckers several times over the years but I never found a nest cavity to photograph. I didn't really find this one either but I did visit it twice in May and captured video of the adults feeding the chicks. I put some of my clips together to share with you. I hope you enjoy!
Thank you for viewing,
Dan
]]>I have created a couple blogs in the past about "Shorties" and, several years ago, I wrote an article about them for Pennsylvania Magazine.
This year I decided to create a video showcasing the photos and video I made November 2024 through January 2025.
Click on the video below to begin.
I hope you enjoy it.
Thank you for watching!
Dan
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Hello again. I have one more article I'd like to share with you.
I had an article published in the September/October 2022 issue of Pennsylvania Magazine. In the article, I wanted to share with readers the amazing story of the creation of Slippery Rock Gorge and McConnells Mill in Lawrence County, PA. Along with the history of the gorge, I included a mention of one of the BEST country festivals, with a Hallmark Movie feel, in Western Pennsylvania.
Occasionally, I get the cover of the magazine and that is what happened on the September/October 2022 magazine. The cover is the first picture displayed once you click the link below.
McConnells Mill Heritage Festival
If you're not a subscriber of Pennsylvania Magazine, you should check it out sometime. The following is taken from their website.
Pennsylvania Magazine Website
Welcome to the website of an old-fashioned print publication.
We started publishing this magazine way back in 1981, and we continue to find topics of interest to our readers, including history, people, places and events that make living here such a wonderful experience.
We also have photo contests, an annual scavenger hunt, location contest in each issue, a calendar of events, and spectacular photography.
We come out with a new edition every two months and mail them to our subscribers and place them at newsstands throughout the state. When you subscribe, you ensure that you’ll receive a copy of each edition.
There’s so much to see and do and know about our Keystone State. We thank those who have already joined us in our endeavor and invite those who haven’t yet to come along for the ride.
It’s always a Beautiful Day in PA!
Get a free sample at get your free sample
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Hello everyone. In May 2024, I had another article published in "Pennsylvania Magazine". This one was about the Prothonotary Warbler and conservation efforts in Pennsylvania's wetlands. It includes interesting interviews with people involved in making sure this precious little bird thrives in Pennsylvania.
Check it out and let me know what you think. Click on the link below.
Striking Gold
If you're not a subscriber of Pennsylvania Magazine, you should check it out sometime. The following is taken from their website.
Pennsylvania Magazine Website
Welcome to the website of an old-fashioned print publication.
We started publishing this magazine way back in 1981, and we continue to find topics of interest to our readers, including history, people, places and events that make living here such a wonderful experience.
We also have photo contests, an annual scavenger hunt, location contest in each issue, a calendar of events, and spectacular photography.
We come out with a new edition every two months and mail them to our subscribers and place them at newsstands throughout the state. When you subscribe, you ensure that you’ll receive a copy of each edition.
There’s so much to see and do and know about our Keystone State. We thank those who have already joined us in our endeavor and invite those who haven’t yet to come along for the ride.
It’s always a Beautiful Day in PA!
Get a free sample at get your free sample
]]>
The video could have been a lot longer but I didn't include everything in order to keep it short.
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It is 17 minutes long so grab your favorite beverage, sit back, and get a glimpse into the life of a bull elk.
Thank you for watching.
My photo of a male and female Eastern Towhee was selected for the cover of the May/June 2021 issue and the article, "Meet the Missus", was presented on pages 32 through 37 of the same issue.
I decided to use the proof pages sent to me by the editor to create this photo essay. There were a couple minor changes made between this proof and the final copy but nothing significant.
If you didn't see the magazine, you can see my article here. Enjoy!
Thanks for looking,
Dan
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